May the Lord bless and keep you this weekend. Today’s Kindle deals include some older works and a newer one. Are PhD pastors better pastors? This question was recently asked in a roundtable. While the answers were just fine, Stephen Kneale did offer some further thoughts that I found helpful. Rejoicing in Suffering Guy Richard thinks of Paul rejoicing in his suffering and says, “Surely we all find this statement to be a little overwhelming. Some of us may even be intimidated by it. How can Paul say this? How can suffering be something that anyone rejoices in, ever?” The Wonder and Joy of Advent Barbaranne Kelly: “Amid all the tumult and strife of our weary world, we long for peace. Bombarded by cynicism and sarcasm we seek for simple, childlike wonder. Drowning in heartache and pain, we hope, however faintly, for joy.” Where Are All the Heretical Bishops in the Second Century? You don’t need to know a ton about church history to see the the importance of this question: Where are all the heretical bishops on the second century? When Christmas Uncovers Difficult Memories Lara d’Entremont looks at Mary’s prayer and a favorite psalm and asks, “What if this were our prayer this Christmas? I often get caught up in the whys. Why did God allow such a stressful birth? Why did God allow one of our twins to be so small and struggle so much? Why did he allow breastfeeding to be so difficult? Why did he allow my mental health to … Continue reading Weekend A La Carte (December 18)